Saturday, April 16, 2011

Review: Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer, by Van Jensen

This is a comic book, and one of those titles you pick up just because it makes you giggle. Pinocchio, naive little wooden puppet, a vampire slayer? Surely you kid, world. Even while tittering at the title, I looked at the decidedly gruesome, if cartoonish, cover art with a feeling of apprehension. Dusty Higgins--the artist--implies with his frontispiece a story grim and dour. The paradox fascinated me.

The book starts with a quick summary of the Pinocchio story. It's the old, familiar tale, told in stick figure cartoons. However, it's presented with emphasis on details that make the title believable by the end of the summary. Then it launches into the dark, black and white world of Pinocchio, Vampire Slayer, with a slaying right off the bat, and it becomes clear that Pinocchio is the ideal vampire slayer. He tells a lie, and he's got a stake for himself right there. Works out perfectly.

The irony and paradox in the story is constant, and forever hilarious. It's a quick little read, and I recommend it.